ClearBridge Investments, a global equity manager, recently published first-quarter 2026 commentary for its “Large Cap Growth Strategy”. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. Following the outbreak of the Middle East conflict, the market experienced a significant decline in growth stocks, resulting in substantial losses. In the quarter, the S&P 500 Index fell 4.3% while the benchmark Russell 1000 Growth Index declined 9.8%, compared to the Russell 1000 Value Index’s 2.1% gain. In a volatile environment, the ClearBridge Large Cap Growth Strategy outperformed its benchmark, benefiting from a shift away from technology and momentum stocks that led the market in 2025. The strategy saw a positive reversal in communication services and strong support from cyclical growth sectors like industrials, materials, and parts of IT. The Strategy repositioned its portfolio to increase exposure in semiconductors and biopharmaceuticals, and exited positions with turnaround delays to maintain discipline. In addition, please check the Strategy’s top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its first-quarter 2026 investor letter, ClearBridge Large Cap Growth Strategy highlighted stocks like Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX). Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX) is a multinational company that operates a network of digital infrastructure, data center footprint, and interconnected ecosystems for seamless delivery of digital experiences and cutting-edge AI quickly and efficiently. On April 8, 2026, Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX) closed at $1,017.66 per share. One-month return of Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX) was 4.75%, and its shares gained 32.04% over the past 52 weeks. Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX) has a market capitalization of $100.37 billion.
ClearBridge Large Cap Growth Strategy stated the following regarding Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX) in its Q1 2026 investor letter:
“We exited PayPal and Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX) during the quarter. Equinix owns and operates interconnected data centers that provide network and cloud platforms for enterprise customers. The stock was sold as the company remains in the middle of a large capex investment cycle while AI tailwinds from increased customer spending on inference will take time to show through.”
Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX) is not on our list of 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026. According to our database, 51 hedge fund portfolios held Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX) at the end of the fourth quarter, compared to 58 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX) and that has 10,000% upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
In another article, we covered Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX) and shared the list of best AI stocks to invest in according to billionaires. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q1 2026 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors.
READ NEXT: 33 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 15 Stocks That Will Make You Rich in 10 Years.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
